Meet 10 top potential customers of the 2023 NFL draft class:
The 2023 NFL draft class is packed with talent, from 3 remarkable quarterback prospects to prospective generational defensive players to instant effect game-breakers on offense. As we move through college football’s bowl season and inch closer to the clock beginning on Round 1, we asked draft analysts Jordan Reid and Matt Miller to present a few of the top prospects every NFL fan requires to know.We selected 10 players who are ranked high on many boards and are likely to be drafted early in the first round come April. Jordan and Matt dove in on each possibility’s background, standout qualities and draft stock. Plus, they took a more detailed take a look at what’s next for all 10, from bowl game looks to pre-draft occasions. Let’s start with a trio of quarterbacks who have a great chance to be the No. 1 pick.Jump to: Young|Stroud|Levis|Anderson Carter|Robinson|Porter|Johnston Wilson|Johnson
Year: Junior|Age: 21|Career begins: 26
Height: 6-foot|Weight: 194 pounds
Reid’s existing ranking: No. 3 overall (QB1)
2022 stats: Young has thrown for 3,007 lawns and 27 touchdown passes with 5 interceptions, while publishing an 83.6 Total QBR. His 7.1% off-target rate is fifth best in the FBS.2 Related
Who is Young? He came out of Mater Dei High School in Pasadena, California, as the top-ranked dual-threat passer in the 2020 class. After sitting behind Mac Jones in his freshman year at Alabama, Young took control of throughout the 2021 season– and his sophomore project was among the most prolific in program history. Young went on to set program records in passing backyards (4,872) and total goals (47 ), helping him end up being only the 4th Alabama winner of the Heisman Trophy.Young didn’t have the exact same quality supporting cast in 2022, but he still once again eclipsed 3,000 passing yards to become the first Crimson Tide signal-caller to hit that mark in back-to-back seasons. His running capability stuck out this season, too, as he acquired 195 yards and scored 4 times on the ground.Standout quality: Young’s overall poise actually stands out. No matter the moment of the
game, he has fun with the very same heartbeat.What’s next? Young already formally graduated but will play in the Allstate Sugar Bowl versus Kansas State on Saturday. Then pro day and integrate exercises await.– Reid Year: Junior|Age: 21|Profession starts: 24 Height: 6-foot-3|Weight: 215 pounds Miller’s present ranking: No. 6 general( QB2)2022 statistics: Stroud has actually tossed for 3,340 lawns and 37 goals with 6 interceptions, while publishing an 87.7 Overall QBR. His 9.4 yards per effort ranks 3rd in the country.Who is Stroud? A first-class
prospect coming out of Rancho Cucamonga (California ), Stroud went on to be a two-year starter and two-time Heisman finalist at Ohio State. After sitting behind Justin Fields for a year, he vanquished one of the highest-graded quarterbacks in recruiting history (Quinn Ewers)for the 2021 starting job as a sophomore and emerged as one of the country’s most efficient passers (4,435 lawns, 44 TD tosses). He won the Huge 10’s Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year Award, the Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year Award and the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year Award. He also set a Rose Bowl record following the 2021 season, tossing for 573 lawns and six touchdowns.A team captain in 2022, Stroud was as soon as again a Heisman finalist and led the NCAA with 37 passing goals. In 2 seasons of starts, he has eclipsed the six-touchdown mark three times and has 6 games of five touchdowns thrown.Standout characteristic: Accuracy to all levels of the field is Stroud’s signature trait.
His capability to drop the ball into space and offer receivers room to run is the very best in the draft class.What’s next? As a junior non-graduate, Stroud will not be qualified for the Shrine Bowl or Elder Bowl, instead preparing for the searching combine following Ohio State’s run in the College Football Playoff. First off in the CFP is Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The combine and his pro day workout will be Stroud’s tentpole occasions in the pre-draft process.– Miller play 2:13 Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud goes over the team’s expectations ahead of their matchup versus Georgia in the College Football Playoff. Year: Redshirt senior|Age: 23|Career begins: 26 Height: 6-foot-3|Weight: 232 pounds Reid’s existing ranking:
No. 21 general( QB4) 2022 statistics: Levis threw for 2,406 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions, while posting a 60.2 Overall QBR.
His 10.6 backyards per effort off play-action ranks 12th in the FBS.Who is Levis? Levis was ranked as the second-best recruit overall in Connecticut in 2018(three-star player). He played in 15 games for Penn State, however with just 2 starts for the Nittany Lions and currently with his degree in hand, Levis looked for a larger function. He carried on to Kentucky as a graduate transfer prior to the 2021 season and made an instant effect. Beginning all 13 games, he led the Wildcats to a 10-win season and became just the seventh player in program history to go beyond 3,000 backyards of overall offense.After displaying great dual-threat capability under then-offensive planner Liam Coen( 9 TD runs in 2021), Levis immediately turned into one of the leading signal-callers to watch heading into the 2022 season. But the Wildcats lost Coen to the Los Angeles Rams, and Levis fought remaining grass toe and shoulder disorders in 2022. Kentucky went 7-4, and while Levis’backyards
per effort improved a bit(8.5, up from 8.0), he didn’t truly reduce the interceptions that pestered his game the year before(10 choices after tossing 13 in 2021 ). Standout quality: Levis has an easy throwing movement that allows him to get lots of velocity behind his tosses. His arm strength sticks out right now on tape, and scouts love the physical qualities in his game.What’s next? Levis is qualified for postseason all-star contests and has actually currently gotten an invitation to the Senior citizen Bowl– but he had not made an official choice about taking part. He opted out of Kentucky’s TransPerfect Music City Bowl versus Iowa, however, which implies he will turn his attention immediately toward the draft.– Reid Year: Junior|Age: 21|Career begins: 40 Height: 6-foot-4|Weight: 243 pounds Miller’s current ranking: No. 1 general(OLB1 )2022 statistics: Anderson has 10 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss and 53 pressures, and he returned an interception for a TD. His 21 run stops are
connected for ninth in the FBS. – Ranks: Kiper “| McShay”| Positions” – McShay’s mock”|
Big questions” – Meet the leading potential customers in the class “
– QB Hot Board”|First-round grades” – Full ranks”| Draft order “
| More” Who is Anderson? An agreement four-star recruit from Hampton, Georgia, Anderson signed with Alabama over in-state
favorites and instantly hit the field as a key starter in his true freshman season. Over the previous 3 seasons, he has taken over the SEC record book and put together various awards, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors(two times), the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (twice ), the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Lott Prize and consentaneous All-American honors(twice). Anderson accumulated 10 starts at Alabama with double-digit sacks, consisting of a four-sack performance against Mississippi State in 2021. He has 68 tackles for loss and 34.5 sacks over 3 seasons, and his finest project was available in 2021 when he registered 34.5 takes on for loss, 17.5 sacks and 79 pressures.Standout quality: Anderson’s first-step quickness is a sight to see. It enables him to beat offensive deals with off their area and rush the quarterback through their reads previously hitting their drop.What’s next? As a real junior, Anderson is not eligible for all-star games and will begin his draft procedure by getting ready for the scouting combine. However initially, Anderson will join Young at the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Kansas State on Dec. 31.
— Miller Year: Junior|Age: 21|Career starts: 11 Height: 6-foot-3|Weight: 300 pounds Reid’s current ranking: No. 2 overall(DT1)2022 statistics: Carter has 3 sacks, 6 deals with for loss and a forced fumble. He has likewise added 20 pressures.Who is Carter? He hails from Apopka, Florida– the exact same hometown as former NFL defensive tackle Warren Sapp– and was a consensus four-star possibility( the No. 3-ranked defensive take on in the country
). Carter began his Georgia profession as a rotational player in his true freshman year and after that recorded 2 starts in 2021 for what’s considered to be one of the very best college defenses ever. In spite of there being three first-round picks along that nationwide champion protective line, some still thought about Carter to be the unit’s best player.This season, Carter battled through a knee injury suffered during the team’s 5th game, triggering him to miss 2 contests. However he still played in 11 games(seven starts), and it was apparent that the Bulldogs’defense is on another level when he is up the middle.Standout quality: He has a natural capability to penetrate the first level and trigger instant interruption. Carter has an explosive first step and complements it with strong hands at the point of attack to puncture and complete plays behind the line of scrimmage.What’s next? Carter is not eligible for any postseason all-star contests, however Georgia is the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, and numerous eyes will be on him against Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.– Reid Year: Junior|Age: 20|Career starts: 28 Height: 6-foot|Weight: 222 pounds Miller’s present ranking: No. 4 general(RB1)2022 statistics: Robinson hurried for a career-best 1,580 backyards( 6.1 per carry)and 18 goals, and he added 2 getting TDs on 19 catches. Robinson created 90 missed tackles this season, tops in the country.Who is Robinson? A five-star recruit
and Arizona Gatorade Gamer of the Year in 2020, Robinson struck the field instantly at Texas and produced as expected. He was the
2022 Doak Walker Award winner, an unanimous All-American and a two-time first-team All-Big 12 entertainer (2021, 2022). Robinson leaves Texas ranked No. 4 all time in rushing yards and overall touchdowns(41)while likewise being called to the Academic
All-Big 12 first team in 2021. play 0:29 Texas scores initially as Bijan Robinson enters from 36 lawns out.Robinson topped the 100-yard mark 18 times in his college profession, including in nine of his final 10 college games.Standout trait: Robinson’s contact balance is a rare quality, enabling him to bounce off tacklers and evade potential tacklers in space with amazing balance, body control and power.What’s next? He has actually stated for the draft and will bypass the Longhorns’Valero Alamo Bowl against Washington. He is not all-star-eligibleand will get ready for the hunting combine, up initially in his pre-draft schedule.
— Miller Year: Redshirt junior|Age: 22|Profession begins: 31 Height: 6-foot-2|Weight: 200 pounds Reid’s current ranking: No. 11 total(CB1 )2022 stats: Porter had 25 takes on and 11 pass breakups this season. He permitted just 3.7 backyards per passing effort as the main defender, the fifth-best mark in the country.Who is Porter? The son of 13-year NFL veteran linebacker Joey Porter, he was a multisport athlete in Pennsylvania. The more youthful Porter was a three-star recruit after hanging around at both pass receiver and protective back in high school, and he remained in state to match
up for the Nittany Lions. After redshirting throughout his very first season on campus(2019), he became a crucial starter the following year.But his true breakout year can be found in 2022, when he began at outside corner in 10 games. In spite of not hauling in an interception, he contested 75.9% of the passes included his instructions– the fourth-best mark in the country. A first-team All-Big Ten choice this season, Porter is likely to be the very first Penn State defensive back to ever be chosen in the preliminary of the NFL draft. He completed his college profession with 17 pass breakups and an interception.Standout quality: His suffocating length enables him to attack wideouts at the line of scrimmage, but Porter also does a great job utilizing it to squeeze and close throwing windows.What’s next? Porter has currently revealed that he will avoid the Nittany Lions’match versus Utah in the Rose Bowl and begin his preparations for the combine.– Reid Year: Junior|Age: 21|Career starts: 28 Height: 6-foot-3|Weight: 215 pounds Miller’s present ranking: No. 15 overall(WR3)2022 statistics: Johnston has actually caught 53 passes for 903 lawns and five goals, while balancing 17 backyards per catch. He has required 23 missed out on deals with on receptions, fourth best in the FBS.Who is Johnston? A four-star recruit from Temple, Texas, Johnston was the second-highest-rated hire to sign at TCU throughout Gary Patterson’s 20-year period. Johnston made an effect early on, balancing 22.1 lawns per catch as a freshman. The wideout caught 13 touchdowns and had more than 2,000 yards receiving on 108 receptions during his 3 years, and he was a first-team All-Big 12 player in 2021. He chose 185 yards and 3 goals against Oklahoma that year.play 0:31 Quentin Johnston goes airborne for the huge catch at the 1-yard line. Max Duggan would run in the brief touchdown a couple of plays later.This season, Johnston
has 3 games with more than 130 getting yards and scored in five of his final 8 contests, despite dealing with an ankle injury.Standout quality: Johnston plays like a power forward when attacking the ball down the field, showing outstanding body control to out-position smaller sized protective backs for jump balls and on vertical routes.What’s next? Johnston will wear for the College Football Playoff semifinal against Michigan (Vrbo Carnival Bowl), however he is not qualified for any all-star games as a junior non-graduate. He’ll prepare for the hunting integrate and professional day workouts following the playoffs.– Miller Year
: Redshirt senior|Age: 22|Career begins: 28 Height: 6-foot-6|Weight: 275 pounds Reid’s current ranking: No. 6 overall(DE1 )2022 statistics
: Wilson finished his year with 72 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 7 sacks. His 16.0% pressure percentage is the fourth-best rate among all protectors in the country.Who is Wilson? Born in Henderson, Texas, he was a three-star recruit and the No. 16 defensive end in the state coming out of high school, and his college career started at Texas A&M. After two years and 12 games there, Wilson decided to transfer.
He served mostly as a rotational defensive take on in Year 1 in Lubbock before switching back to defensive end during the backstretch of the 2020 season.Wilson broke out in 2021 with 7 sacks and was an All-Big 12 honorable reference and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl’s protective MVP. He entered 2022 with a great deal of hype and measured up to it as
a first-team all-conference choice. He completed the year
with 37 pressures( tied for 13th )and was a huge riser on a lot of draft boards. The Red Raiders haven’t had a first-round choice along the defensive line since 1983(Gabriel Rivera, Pittsburgh Steelers). Standout characteristic: Wilson has an unique frame with a good mix of power and buildup speed– and he
has fun with an effective base.What’s next? Wilson declared for the draft and will not play in Texas Tech’s TaxAct Texas Championship game versus Ole Miss. He accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl, but after suffering a season-ending foot injury against Kansas, he opted to have surgical treatment. That suggests his status for taking part in the contest is uncertain.– Reid Year: Junior|Age: 21|Career starts: 25 Height: 6-foot-6|Weight: 310 pounds Miller’s existing ranking: No. 7 overall( OT1 )2022 stats: Johnson began all 12 games at left deal with, allowing one sack and seven pressures throughout the season. Go ideal in your bowl choices and win as much as$1 million, plus more rewards! Make Your Picks Who is Johnson? An agreement luxury recruit
out of Cincinnati, Johnson was the No. 1-rated take on in the 2020 class after getting the Anthony Munoz Lineman of the Year Award. He worked his way into the Ohio State lineup as a sophomore, starting at right guard, where he was a second-team All-Big Ten performer and Academic All-Big 10. Johnson relocated to left deal with in 2022
and stood out, making consensus first-team All-American honors while being named a Lombardi Award semifinalist.Standout quality: Johnson’s healing agility is special, permitting him to quickly redirect and
reposition when he’s settled into his pass set.What’s next? He will anchor Ohio State’s offending line against Georgia in the College Football Playoff, starting with a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl match with Georgia. When the playoffs are over, Johnson will start preparation for the scouting integrate.– Miller